1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus using a fuel cell as a power source.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with the spread of cordless equipment such as a personal computer and a mobile telephone, there is an increasing demand for miniaturization and an increased capacity of a secondary battery that is a power source of the cordless equipment. Currently, a lithium ion secondary battery is being put to practical use as a secondary battery with high energy density that can be reduced in size and weight, and there is an increasing demand for such a lithium ion secondary battery as a portable power source. However, depending upon the kind of cordless equipment to be used, a lithium secondary battery has not ensured a sufficient continuous use time.
In such a circumstance, a fuel cell is expected as a battery satisfying the above-mentioned demand. Among them, a liquid fuel cell such as a direct methanol type fuel cell (DMFC) using liquid fuel directly for the reaction of a battery can be miniaturized, and thus, it has a potential as a future portable power source.
A fuel cell preferable as a power source of portable equipment such as a notebook personal computer is known, for example, in JP 2002-56855 A, and the like. A power generation portion of the fuel cell has a flat shape in which a number of cells are combined in a matrix. Each cell is composed of a positive electrode (air electrode), a negative electrode (fuel electrode), and an electrolyte layer placed between the positive and negative electrodes.
Furthermore, incorporating a power generation portion of a fuel cell into a housing of a display portion of an information processing apparatus such as a notebook personal computer is known, for example, in JP 2002-49440 A. In the information processing apparatus described in JP 2002-49440 A, a fuel cartridge is provided on an upper end face of the display portion, and liquid fuel is supplied from the fuel cartridge to the power generation portion.
According to the configuration described in JP 2002-49440 A, a channel for introducing air is formed in the display portion so as to pass therethrough vertically, and air is supplied to the positive electrodes through the channel. Therefore, an increase in thickness of the display portion by the thickness of the channel cannot be avoided, which may enlarge a notebook personal computer. Furthermore, when the fuel cartridge is placed in an upper part of the display portion, the cartridge is very conspicuous, resulting in an unsatisfactory outer appearance.